Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo has hinted a fifth stab at presidency by ODM leader Raila Odinga, arguing that his decision to work with government is a change of strategy.
For 18 months now, Mr Odinga has been working closely with President Uhuru Kenyatta, a move that caught many of his critics off balance.
And Dr Amollo has defended the decision, arguing that the veteran opposition leader is preparing for a big fight, even though he did not give more details.
Due to change in strategy, Amollo argues, Mr Odinga was able to absolve himself from President Uhuru Kenyatta's shortcomings in government.
“You cannot say that ODM has joined the government,” he said. “There is a difference between joining government and joining hands with the government, which is what the PM has done,” he said.
At a time when Nasa supporters were under harsh crackdown by the security forces for advancing Mr Odinga’s cause, the lawmaker says something had to give in.
“A lot more of our supporters would have died if we continued with the hard-tackle politics. We were losing an average of 10 people per day. Even in war, you do not have to win every battle,” said the lawmaker.
This week, his spokesman, Mr Denis Onyango, said Mr Odinga remains alert to the needs and expectations of Kenyans.
“Those who mistake his silence for abdicating his role as the watchdog of the public are misreading him the same way they did not see any possibility that he could work with the President,” said Mr Onyango.
“Raila is a master tactician,” said Mr Tom Mboya, a political science lecturer at Maseno University.
“What he is doing now must be seen in the contest of laying ground for another stab at the big seat. He is keen to endear himself to Mr Kenyatta’s support base while at the same time taking advantage of the fact that some influential players in central are frowning at DP’s forays in the region.”
Although Raila is yet to declare, DP William Ruto has identified him as the major obstacle in his guest to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
The former Prime Minister will be 77 in 2022. He is currently pushing for constitutional amendments, a move which has been backed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.